Podcasts about faith in jesus christ

What happens when one apostle publicly confronts another? In Galatians 2:11–21, Peter knows that Jews and Gentiles are one in Christ—but fear causes his actions to contradict his beliefs. Paul refuses to remain silent because the truth of the gospel is at stake. Matt and Todd explore why Paul confronted Peter publicly, how even mature believers can stumble, and why loving confrontation is sometimes necessary. Along the way, they uncover the life-changing truth at the heart of Paul's correction: We are made right with God through faith in Jesus Christ, not through religious performance.

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Imagine being granted an audience with a king. As you enter the throne room, you would not begin by rushing through your list of requests—you would first acknowledge his majesty. In today's episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef reflects on the opening words of the Lord's Prayer: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.” To hallow God's name means to set it apart as holy. God is sovereign, omniscient, righteous, just, merciful, faithful, compassionate, and true. He is the Creator of the universe and the King of kings. Yet through faith in Jesus Christ, this holy God becomes our heavenly Father, and we are invited to come before Him in prayer. Dr. Youssef reminds us that the more we know God's character, the deeper our fellowship with Him becomes. Beginning prayer with reverence reorients our hearts, shifting our focus from our needs and desires to the greatness, holiness, and goodness of God. Jesus did not give the Lord's Prayer as a lifeless ritual, but as a guide for fellowship with the Father. As children of God, we have free access to the throne room of the King—and there is no greater honor than calling Him “Our Father.” Join me in prayer.  Precious Lord, thank You for inviting me into Your presence. I praise You as King of kings and Lord of lords and also thank You for being my Father. There is no one like You. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen. The voice you hear on the MY Devotional podcast is digitally generated with Dr. Youssef's permission. If today's devotional stirred a question, burden, or need for prayer, you don't have to walk through it alone.

What is God really like? In this powerful message, we continue our study through the book of Hosea and discover a breathtaking picture of God's love. Through the story of Hosea and Gomer, we see that God loves us like a devoted husband; even when we are unfaithful, broken, and far from Him. This sermon explores some of life's biggest questions: Does God exist? What is He like? And what does He want from us? Through Scripture, we learn that while our sin has consequences, God never stops pursuing us. Just as Hosea redeemed Gomer, Jesus came to rescue us when we could not rescue ourselves. We also celebrate incredible stories of life change through baptism, witnessing people publicly declare their faith in Jesus Christ. Their testimonies remind us that no one is beyond God's grace and that every person has an opportunity to come home to Him. In this message: The powerful story of Hosea and Gomer God's unfailing love and pursuit of His people The reality of sin, grace, and redemption How Jesus fulfills the story of Hosea Inspiring baptism testimonies and life change No matter where you are in your faith journey, this message is a reminder that God has not given up on you. His invitation still stands: Come home.

An Eastern Orthodox caller asks, “On what standard do you say Orthodoxy is false?” Joel Settecase turns the authority question back around, pressing whether councils, synods, Church Fathers, and tradition can define their own limits. This intense theology and apologetics exchange ends with a clear Gospel presentation: salvation by grace alone through faith in Jesus Christ alone, according to the Bible alone.===================================================Download your free apologetics guide here: https://thethink.institute/store/p/transcendental-argument-for-god-tag-cheat-sheet-downloadable-pdf Men: Want to become the worldview leader your family and church need? Join the Hammer & Anvil Society. We provide in-depth education and community for Christian men: https://thethink.institute/society===========================================================Think Debates is a ministry of the Think Institute, NFP. We rely on the generous support of our Ministry Partners to pursue our mission. Your financial contributions help equip Christian fathers and their families with the education, resources and community needed to stand firm on God's word in today's challenging climate. Thank you for your help in preparing thousands of regular believers to explain, share and defend the Christian message all over the world.The Think Institute, NFP is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization (EIN: 88-3225438). Donations to The Think Institute are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.Donate now: https://thethink.institute/partner

What does it actually mean to be part of God's family? And how can you know for sure that you are? These are two of the most important questions any person can ask, and Mark 3:31-35 gives us a clear and challenging answer straight from Jesus Himself. In this passage, Jesus is surrounded by a crowd when His mother and brothers arrive outside and call for Him. Instead of going to them, He looks around at those seated near Him and asks a pointed question: who are my mother and my brothers? His answer redefines family in a way that cuts through religious tradition, church attendance, and family background. Three groups of people appear in this story. The first group stands outside, assuming their close relationship to Jesus gives them automatic access. The second group sits inside the room, near Jesus, hearing His teaching, yet proximity alone does not make them family. The third group is the one Jesus claims as His own. What sets them apart is not where they are sitting but how they are living. Whoever does the will of God, Jesus says, is His brother, sister, and mother. This raises a critical question for anyone who grew up in church or in a Christian home: does your background make you a Christian? Does attending services, knowing the right words, or being surrounded by faithful people mean you belong to God's family? According to Jesus, the answer is no. You can be familiar with Him without truly knowing Him. You can be near Him without truly belonging to Him. Obedience does not earn your place in God's family. You are not saved by what you do. But a genuine faith produces a life that increasingly reflects the character of Jesus. The fruit of your life reveals the root of your heart. The good news is that God's family is open to anyone. Jesus used the word whoever. No past disqualifies you. No failure puts you beyond reach. Hebrews 2:11 says He is not ashamed to call you His brother or sister. You enter His family not by birth or by religious effort but by grace, through personal faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Topics covered include: how to become a Christian, what it means to be born again, assurance of salvation, doing the will of God, faith vs works, Mark 3 Bible study, Jesus and family, God's family in the Bible, how to know if you are saved, Christian identity, and belonging to God. If you have ever wondered whether you are truly in God's family or simply nearby, this is for you.

The old performance-based you has died. The new grace-built you is alive. The new you recognizes that you have been saved and live by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. 

You Are More Forgiven Than You Think Romans 3:22-24 “This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” I love these verses because they remind us that everybody sins. Most of us tend to be hard on ourselves, thinking we are unworthy because we are not perfect and fall short of who we think God is calling us to be. These verses remind us that we all fall short of the glory of God. Let's start at the beginning of these verses. They begin, “This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.” The verse before this was telling us that righteousness is apart from the law. Our righteousness does not come from the deeds of the law. We can not earn our own righteousness. Our righteousness comes through our faith in Jesus Christ. It doesn't say by our faith; it says through our faith. We do not earn righteousness by our faith. We receive righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ. Next, it says, “There is no difference between Jew and Gentile.” There is no difference between Jew and Gentile. We are not separate. We are one body of Christ. This was a big deal back in the early days of Christianity. The Jewish people had been God's chosen people for so long, and now Jews and Gentiles alike were being baptized and believing in Jesus. I am sure it was hard for the Jewish people to just accept others in and not feel like they were closer to God in some way. I say it was a big deal back in the day, but I think remembering that we are all one body of Christ is something we need to keep in mind even today. Back in the day, you were either Jewish or a gentile. You either believed in Christ or you didn't. Today, there are 45,000 different denominations of Christianity. It is important for us all to remember that there is one Jesus, and He died for all of our sins. God does not like some of us better than others. God loves us all; we are all one body. Next, it says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” We all think we are the only ones who sin. Or the opposite: we see the sins of others and don't look at our own sins. The verse reminds us that we all sin. None of us is getting it all right. The enemy likes to make us think that Jesus died for everyone else's sins, but not ours. Ours are too bad. No one else has sinned as badly as we have sinned. We should just hold onto our sins. This is a lie. There is nothing you can do that is bigger than Jesus's sacrifice on that cross. Also, your sins are not worse than anyone else's. When looking up these verses on the EnduringWord.com commentary, I found this quote from Leon Morris, who was quoting Handley Moule: “The harlot, the liar, the murderer, are short of it; but so are you. Perhaps they stand at the bottom of a mine, and you on the crest of an Alp; but you are as little able to touch the stars as they.” Everyone falls short, but everyone can be justified freely by His grace. I think the second part of this verse is just as important as the first part, and I think sometimes we stop before we get to the second part. We think about how we all fall short, and then we think to ourselves, “What's the point of even trying. If we are all going to get it wrong, then why should we try to be good? Why should we try to do the right thing?” This is the part that can get stuck in our heads. Especially if we decide that we are going to try to do better than we have been. All of a sudden, our mind tells us it is not worth the effort. It tells us we will just fail. It tells us not to bother. When this happens to us, not if, but when, we can remember the second half of this verse. “All are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” We may all sin, but we are also all forgiven by the Grace of God through the sacrifice of Jesus. We don't have to do anything to deserve our forgiveness. Jesus did that for us when He died on the cross. What we are doing when we are trying our best to live the way God wants us to is we are saying, thank you, Jesus, I know what you did, and I am so grateful. We are not trying to earn our forgiveness; it is already ours. But we can try to show Jesus we are grateful. We can try to show Jesus that His sacrifice was not in vain, and we are trying to live as God wants us to live. There are three things I want you to take away from today's episode. First, we are the same, Gentile or Jew. There is no difference. God loves us all. This applies to all 45,000 denominations of Christianity as well. There is no difference; God loves us all. Even if you don't believe in Christ or believe in God, He still loves you! Second, we all sin. It is a fact. There are no perfect people in this world. Even if people look perfect on their social media accounts, there is no one who is perfect this side of heaven. We all sin! And last, but not least, Jesus died on the cross to make up for our sins. Yours and mine. All of them. His sacrifice was enough to cover anything we might have done. There is nothing that we have to do to earn freedom from our sins. It was freely given by the Father through His only Son. Jesus paid the ultimate price so that we wouldn't have to. Thank you, Jesus!! Dear Heavenly Father, I ask you to bless each person listening to this episode. Lord, you are amazing. Thank you so much for asking Jesus to take our sins to the cross. Thank you, Jesus, for taking our sins to the cross. Lord, it is hard to fathom that kind of love. Please help us to understand it. Please help us to feel that love with our whole bodies. Lord, please help us take it to heart that we are forgiven. Help us to really believe that our sins are forgiven. Help us to bring our sins to you and not hide them from you. Help us to stop believing the voice in our head that tells us we won't be forgiven. Help us, Lord! We love you, and we ask all of this in accordance with your will and in Jesus's holy name. Amen! Thank you so much for joining me on this journey to walk boldly with Jesus. I wanted to take a minute today to explain a little more about what happens during our Tuesday night mentoring sessions. When you are able to attend the live Zoom meetings, I truly encourage you to come. We are building a beautiful community where people can grow in faith, share honestly, and feel a little less alone. But even if you cannot attend live, mentoring can still be incredibly valuable. Every session is recorded, so you can watch the replay whenever it works for you. Each month, we focus on one central topic, and every week, we take a 30-minute deep dive that helps us understand it more fully and apply it to our everyday lives and relationship with the Lord. Maybe you have been considering mentoring, but the idea of joining a Zoom call makes you feel nervous or uncomfortable. You are welcome to join and begin by simply watching the replays. There is no pressure to participate before you are ready. My prayer is that mentoring will help you grow closer to the Lord, understand His love more deeply, and learn how to walk with Him through whatever you are facing. Pray about it, and when you are ready to take your relationship with the Lord to a deeper level, CLICK HERE to learn more and join us. I look forward to seeing you here again tomorrow. Remember, Jesus loves you just as ou are and so do I! Have a blessed day! Today's Word from the Lord was received in January 2026 by a member of my Catholic Charismatic Prayer Group. If you have any questions about the prayer group, these words, or how to join us for a meeting, please email CatholicCharismaticPrayerGroup@gmail.com. Today's Word from the Lord is, “My children, you can tremble before my majesty, my greatness, my wisdom, my power, my magnificence, but never fear me.” www.findingtruenorthcoaching.comCLICK HERE TO DONATECLICK HERE to sign up for Mentoring CLICK HERE to sign up for Daily "Word from the Lord" emailsCLICK HERE to sign up for my newsletter & receive a free audio training about inviting Jesus into your daily lifeCLICK HERE to buy my book Total Trust in God's Safe Embrace

What if the single most important question you'll ever answer is this:Is the tomb empty?This week on ThisIsKingdom, Talon, TJ, Grace, and Hollis discuss President Dieter F. Uchtdorf's General Conference message, Encounter at the Empty Tomb. Together they explore why Christ's Resurrection changes everything—from hope and forgiveness to purpose, healing, and the promise that Jesus walks with us today.If you've ever wondered how to strengthen your testimony of Jesus Christ or where to find Him in your own life, this conversation is for you.

Full Text of Readings Monday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 395 The Saint of the day is Saint Apollinaris Saint Apollinaris' Story According to tradition, Saint Peter sent Saint Apollinaris to Ravenna, Italy, as its first bishop. His preaching of the Good News was so successful that the pagans there beat him and drove him from the city. He returned, however, and was exiled a second time. After preaching in the area surrounding Ravenna, he entered the city again. After being cruelly tortured, he was put on a ship heading to Greece. Pagans there caused him to be expelled to Italy, where he went to Ravenna for a fourth time. He died from wounds received during a savage beating at Classis, a suburb of Ravenna. A beautiful basilica honoring him was built there in the sixth century. Reflection Following Jesus involves risks—sometimes the supreme risk of life itself. Martyrs are people who would rather accept the risk of death than deny the cornerstone of their whole life: faith in Jesus Christ. Everyone will die eventually—the persecutors and those persecuted. The question is what kind of a conscience people will bring before the Lord for judgment. Remembering the witness of past and present martyrs can help us make the often small sacrifices that following Jesus today may require.Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

In this sermon, Pastor Jason discusses the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15, which is a pivotal moment in the early church when leaders had to answer an essential question: Is salvation received by God's grace through faith, or must people earn it through religious works? As the Gentiles were coming to faith in Jesus, some Jewish believers insisted they first obey the Law of Moses—including circumcision—to truly be saved. Paul, Barnabas, Peter, and James firmly rejected this teaching, declaring that salvation has always been by grace alone through faith in Jesus Christ. The council concluded that believers should never place unnecessary burdens on those coming to Christ because Jesus has already accomplished everything necessary for salvation. The pastor challenges the church to see that this struggle still exists today.    Website: redeemermidland.org Instagram: instagram.com/redeemermidland Facebook: facebook.com/RedeemerMidland   At Redeemer, we seek to be a Gospel-Centered, Missional Family. We sing songs to worship our Lord, we preach the Word of God from the Bible, and we love one another.   We would love to see you on a Sunday morning at 9:00 or 11:00 am at 3601 N. Lamesa Rd in Midland, Texas. 

The sermon exhorts believers to reject personal favoritism and judge others by outward appearances, emphasizing that true faith in Jesus Christ requires impartial love. Drawing from James 2, the speaker defines partiality as a serious sin equivalent to breaking the entire law, contrasting human tendencies to honor the wealthy with God's choice of the poor as heirs of the kingdom. The message challenges the congregation to view every individual through the lens of divine mercy rather than social status or wealth. It underscores that loving one's neighbor as oneself is the fulfillment of the royal law given by God. Ultimately, the preacher calls for a lifestyle of mercy and humility, reflecting the character of Jesus in all interactions.

What if the single most important question you'll ever answer is this:Is the tomb empty?This week on ThisIsKingdom, Talon, TJ, Grace, and Hollis discuss President Dieter F. Uchtdorf's General Conference message, Encounter at the Empty Tomb. Together they explore why Christ's Resurrection changes everything—from hope and forgiveness to purpose, healing, and the promise that Jesus walks with us today.If you've ever wondered how to strengthen your testimony of Jesus Christ or where to find Him in your own life, this conversation is for you.

Sunday Morning Service Series - A Series covering the Book of Romans: Today we cover Romans 5:12-21, Our Biggest Problem, Our Biggest Solution! Romans is a theological letter written by Paul the Apostle explaining the gospel and how God saves humanity through grace by faith in Jesus Christ. It teaches that all people—both Jews and Gentiles—are sinners in need of salvation, and that righteousness comes not through the law but through faith in Christ. The letter also calls believers to live transformed lives marked by humility, unity, love, and obedience to God. If you are interested in attending our LIVE teachings (Wednesdays @ 7:00 pm & Sundays @ 10:00 am), you are invited to visit us at 4218 Boston Ave. Lubbock, Texas. To connect with us, you can call us at (806) 799-2227, email us at calvarylubbock@hotmail.com, or checkout our website at CalvaryChapelLubbock.church. You can also watch us on Facebook and contact us through Facebook Messenger. Please feel free to let us know about your walk with Jesus, as we would love to hear it and pray with you. If you'd like to partner with us to help us take the Gospel to the world, just click on the DONATE button on our website, let us know through Facebook Messenger, or in person. We pray that the rest of your week be blessed and that you share the love of Jesus with everyone that you encounter.

Aaron Vonk challenges; Don’t allow yourself to be distracted, faith in Jesus Christ is the only way we begin, continue, and complete our Christian Walk.

From the depths of despair to the solid foundation of Christ, Pastor Tommy Boring's message, “Out of the Pit and onto the Rock,” powerfully illustrates the life-changing work of salvation through Jesus Christ. Using Psalm 40 and the truth of being born again, this sermon reminds us that no one can escape the bondage of sin on their own, but God is able to lift every repentant sinner out of the pit and establish their life upon the Rock. Beginning with David's testimony in Psalm 40, Pastor Tommy explains the picture of the “horrible pit” and “miry clay” as the hopeless condition of every person apart from Christ. Sin leaves us trapped, unable to free ourselves, and destined for judgment unless God intervenes. Yet the same God who hears the cry of the lost is faithful to rescue, forgive, and place their feet upon the solid Rock, Jesus Christ. This message emphasizes that salvation is not religion, good works, church attendance, baptism, or simply knowing Bible facts. Jesus told Nicodemus, “Ye must be born again.” True salvation is a supernatural work of God that transforms a sinner into a new creature in Christ. When the Holy Spirit moves into a person’s life, old things pass away, new desires are born, and a new song of praise fills the heart. Pastor Tommy shares his own testimony of conviction as a child, describing the moment the Holy Spirit revealed that he was personally lost before God. No preacher manufactured the experience. It was God who spoke to his heart, bringing him to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. That same saving grace is still available today. The sermon also challenges those who may have religion without a relationship with Christ. Going through religious motions, attending church, or trying to improve yourself cannot satisfy God’s righteousness. Only the finished work of Jesus Christ and the new birth can make someone whole. Christ doesn’t simply make people better. He gives them new life. Throughout the message, listeners are reminded of God’s incredible mercy and the countless blessings that follow salvation. The greatest miracle is not earthly success, but being delivered from the bondage of sin, placed into the Father’s hands, and given the assurance of eternal life. With eternity drawing nearer every day, Pastor Tommy lovingly urges everyone not to delay responding to God’s call. The invitation to salvation is still open today, but it will not remain open forever. If the Holy Spirit is speaking to your heart, now is the time to come to Christ and experience what it truly means to be lifted out of the pit and onto the Rock.

The end of Acts is the beginning of a better future through faith in Jesus Christ!

The Bible is clear that all fall short of God's perfect standard, so what are you trusting in to be made right? In his message, "Lessons from Philippians: How to Be Made Right with God," Pastor Bayless explains that righteousness comes when faith in Jesus Christ alone makes us right with God. You'll discover how it's not religion, but relationship—an intimate, personal knowledge of Christ—that makes you right with Him. Learn to lay aside self-reliance and draw closer to Christ, where true life is found, in this encouraging message!

Pastor Neil continues the "GIVE ME THE FREEDOM" series with a message titled “SPELL BOUND AND CURSED TO FORGIVEN AND SET FREE” from Galatians 3:1–3 Paul warns the Galatian believers not to be deceived into turning from the freedom found in Christ back to trusting in their own efforts. This message will reveal how easily we can become distracted from the truth of the gospel and remind us that we are forgiven and set free by God's grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone.

On this episode of Day by Day, our journey through Romans, Dr. Clif focuses on the idea that genuine salvation comes through faith in Jesus Christ rather than relying on religious rituals or activities as a source of righteousness. "Interested in becoming a devoted follower of Christ?" Go to follow.lifeword.org

Being humans, we like to be independent. We want to go our own way. We'll drive lost, trying to figure out how to get to a destination, refusing to stop and ask for directions. Sadly, many journey through life, never arriving at the destination they hoped to see. Our eternity is too important. We can't hope to arrive there someday. We can't rely on our own instincts to get us to Heaven. I've heard people say, “I'm trying to be a good person. I think I'll be alright in the end.”Main Points:1. Since Heaven is a city built by God, we must let Him inform us as to how we can get there. Thankfully, in His Word, He has made it clear. In the Bible, we are informed that there is only one road to Heaven, not many roads, and certainly not just any road of our choosing. 2. Where you want to go...there is only one way to get there. Salvation and forgiveness of our sins are only found in Jesus. It's only through Jesus that we have access to the Father. It's only through Jesus that we find the doorway to Heaven.3. The Bible doesn't leave us with vague, unclear directions. The path is marked out for us, and it's crystal clear. There is only one road to Heaven. It is found through faith in Jesus Christ, as we make Him our Savior and Lord. Today's Scripture Verses:Acts 4:12 - "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”1 John 5:13 - “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.”Quick Links:Donate to support this podcastLeave a review on Apple PodcastsGet a copy of The 5 Minute Discipleship JournalConnect on SocialJoin The 5 Minute Discipleship Facebook Group

Our holiness and acceptance before God come not from our own efforts, but through faith in Jesus Christ alone.Subscribe to daily devotions e-mails: https://wcmin.us/ddsub

What does it really mean to be saved? For many people, salvation feels like a vague or distant concept, something they have heard about but never fully understood. But the Bible paints a rich and layered picture of salvation that is far bigger than most of us have imagined.Using the Exodus story as a powerful framework, salvation can be understood through three key features: what we are saved from, what we are saved for, and what we are saved to.We are saved FROM the mastery of sin. Scripture describes sin not just as something we do but as a power that seeks to dominate and destroy us. Jesus said in John 8:34 that everyone who sins is a slave to sin. But Romans 6:14 reminds us that sin no longer has to be our master when we are under grace.We are saved FOR holiness and good works. God does not rescue us and leave us unchanged. He calls us to be set apart for His purposes and to let that transformation overflow into how we love, serve, and live. Ephesians 2:10 tells us we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works that He prepared in advance for us to do.We are saved TO a destination. Salvation is not about escaping this world. It is about being part of God's full restoration of it. Revelation 21 describes a future where God wipes every tear from our eyes, where there is no more death, mourning, or pain, and where He makes all things new.And all of it is powered entirely by grace. Not by a checklist. Not by earning it. Not by proving your worthiness. Salvation is a gift, received through faith in Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross.Whether you are exploring Christianity for the first time or have been a believer for years, this message will help you see salvation in a whole new way.Topics covered include: what does it mean to be saved, the meaning of salvation in the Bible, saved from sin, saved for holiness, saved to eternal life, the Exodus and salvation, grace and faith, Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 6:14, Revelation 21, new creation, Christian salvation explained, what is grace, how to be saved, and the three tenses of salvation.If you have questions about faith, salvation, or what it means to follow Jesus, this message is for you.

What if the joy you've been searching for isn't found in success, achievements, or the approval of others—but in knowing who you truly are?In this episode of the LIFE to the FULLEST Podcast, special guest Rochelle (CLAY) from Mumbai, India and I explore the life-changing truth that our deepest identity is found as beloved sons and daughters of God. We dive into Paul's words in Ephesians and discover that through faith in Jesus Christ, we are invited into a relationship that gives us purpose, peace, confidence, and an unshakable sense of belonging.Join us as we discuss:What it means to be adopted into God's family.How to overcome the lies of comparison, rejection, and insecurity.Why our identity in Christ changes the way we live, love, and serve.Practical ways to walk each day with the joy, freedom, and confidence of a child of God.Reflecting on Ephesians 3 & St. Paul's writingsWhether you're feeling lost, searching for purpose, or simply longing to deepen your relationship with Christ, this conversation will encourage you to embrace the incredible gift of belonging to Him.Challenge for the week: Spend time each day reflecting on this simple truth: "I am God's beloved child." Allow that identity—not your circumstances or the opinions of others—to shape the way you think, speak, and live. Invite Jesus more deeply into your life."See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are." 1 John 3:1Follow the journey:

It's Monday, July 13th, A.D. 2026. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 140 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Adam McManus Texas police officers vs. Christian preachers at “pride” event Today, our persecution of Christians story comes surprisingly from Texas. On June 27th, Rich Penkoski and like-minded believers spoke the truth and preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ with a bullhorn at the Trinity Homosexual Pride Fest in Fort Worth, Texas.  Not surprisingly, homosexual activists and nearby business owners complained to police about both his message and the amplification. When police responded, the officers threatened to arrest and cite the preachers, telling them that phrases like “homosexuality is a sin” were offensive. Listen to a portion of one video posted by preacher Penkoski of his interaction with a female officer. POLICE OFFICER: “If someone is offended by your talking, then we have a problem.” PREACHER: “That's a constitutional violation of our rights. If you shut us down for talking or speech …” (crosstalk) POLICE OFFICER: “No. If they are offended by speech, …” PREACHER: “I don't care if they're offended.” POLICE OFFICER:  “Okay, then I'll write you a ticket, and we'll go from there.” PREACHER: “Wait, you're going to ticket us for offensive speech?” POLICE OFFICER: “Yes, absolutely.” PREACHER: “Are you serious? You're going to cite us for offensive speech.” POLICE OFFICER: “It's called disorderly conduct.” Plus, according to another video, a male police officer also said if the preacher used biologically accurate pronouns for someone pretending to be the opposite gender that also could be considered an offense. The preacher was warned that continued use of the bullhorn would violate the city's noise ordinance before ultimately receiving a disorderly conduct citation after continuing to use the device. Subsequently, the Fort Worth Police Department acknowledged that an officer made "certain statements that were not accurate," reports Fox News. In last Thursday post on X, Penkoski wrote, "Police officers have been violating preachers' 1st amendment rights for years. This isn't new, we just got it on video, and they can't walk it back or deny it.” He added, “As a street preacher, it is not my job to coddle anyone or go soft on sin. People are dying and going to hell every day and we have to warn them. ​… Christians need to wake up. We have got to stop sitting in the safety and comfort of our church pews and start taking the Gospel back to the streets. If we refuse to exercise our constitutional rights, we are going to lose them." In Matthew 5:13, Jesus said, “You are the salt of the Earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.” Homosexual couple sues surrogate who refused to abort baby with cleft lip A homosexual male couple in Canada has sued a surrogate mother who believes she is being punished because she refused a request to abort the baby after doctors detected a cleft lip and a possible heart defect, reports The Christian Post. They used a donor egg and sperm from each of the intended fathers. In a suit filed in Ontario Superior Court in May, the homosexuals allege the surrogate mother failed to keep them informed about the baby's health, caused them emotional distress, and violated their confidentiality, reports The National Post. The lawsuit came two years after the perverted couple asked her to abort the baby at 22 weeks — a request she refused. Specialists at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto later determined that the baby was otherwise healthy, except for the cosmetically fixable cleft lip. The couple accepted this assessment, agreed to continue the pregnancy, and took the baby boy home after birth. The surrogate unsuccessfully sought repayment of about $10,000 in out-of-pocket costs. Ironically, the couple filed a lawsuit for $600,000 in damages against the single mother for her failure to abort their now living son. More than 50 countries prohibit both commercial and altruistic surrogacy. And here in the United States, surrogacy laws vary by state. New video: Senator Mitch McConnell loaded into ambulance New video posted on July 10th shows Republican Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky being loaded into an ambulance after suffering an apparent cardiac arrest at his Capitol Hill home last month, reports the New York Post. McConnell has been absent from the Senate for nearly a month as he continues to recover in the hospital. The 84-year-old lawmaker is not seeking re-election this November and will retire when his term ends in January. California puts abortion pill reversal on trial Heartbeat International, a pro-life group, is on trial in a California court for daring to inform women that the effects of the Abortion Kill Pill can sometimes be reversed, reports The Washington Stand. Their attorney, Danielle White, said, “Women deserve to know all of their options. They don't lose that right after beginning a chemical abortion.” In 2023, Democratic California Attorney General Rob Bonta  sued Heartbeat and a pro-life pregnancy center for “advertising Abortion Pill Reversal as safe and effective.”  Factually speaking, the abortion pill reversal protocol simply requires the use of the natural hormone progesterone which is both safe and helps save 65% of the babies. Bonta asked the court to impose a penalty of more than $20 million against Heartbeat and $600,000 against the pregnancy center. That would amount to a financial death sentence for the pro-life non-profits. The case went to a bench trial on June 24, 2026, and the trial may continue for another three weeks. Thomas More Society's Paul Jonna said, “A ruling in California's favor would hand attorneys general across the country a roadmap to penalize any non-profit organization that provides women with information the state disagrees with. If the [California] Attorney General prevails and our clients cannot deliver free, truthful, and lifesaving information to women who request it, then countless babies that could survive may not — and countless women may never meet the children that they wanted to carry to term.” Marriage advocate Mike McManus entered Heaven On a personal note, my father, Mike McManus, entered the gates of Heaven on July 5th at the age of 85 in Nashville, Tennessee.  Standing at 6'8” tall, he might have had to duck to walk through. To be sure, Dad had a God-sized vision to make a difference. After graduating from Duke University, he was employed at Time Magazine where he was stationed in Bueno Aires, Argentina and later covered President Lyndon Johnson at the White House, writing two cover stories. In 1973, my Dad organized a public participation campaign, “Choices for ‘76” to engage 10 percent of the 20 million people of the New York Metropolitan region in policy issues as the U.S. approached its Bicentennial. The project aimed to spark public debate through a series of television town meetings on issues like housing, transportation, the environment, poverty and urban growth. After becoming informed, citizens were invited to express their opinion on possible public policy tradeoffs, using ballots available in newspapers, banks and libraries. Then, he wrote two self-syndicated weekly newspaper columns which appeared in 100 newspapers.  The first, called “Solutions,” was politically focused and offered practical public policy suggestions. The second, “Ethics & Religion,” was inspired by the preaching of Pastor Terry Fullam of St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Darien, Connecticut. It grappled with church news and moral issues like abortion, pornography, and the homosexual agenda. I remember helping him copy, collate, stuff, stamp, address, and seal the envelopes to send out his weekly columns to newspaper editors across the country before the advent of the internet and email. We were always racing to the post office to get there before the deadline at 11pm at night. In 1993, he published his first book Marriage Savers: Helping Your Friends and Family Stay Married. Other books included 50 Practical Ways to Take Our Kids Back from the World and Living Together: Myths, Risks and  Answers. In a 2013 phone interview on American Family Radio, Dad talked about the major myth that women believe about living together. MIKE McMANUS: “One of the myths, believed widely by women, is that ‘'If I live with him, he's going to see how wonderful I am, and he'll ask me to marry him.' But he knows that this woman would marry him if he asked her. He's living together with her because he doesn't want to get married. He wants the sex, he wants the companionship, and the shared rent. But he doesn't want to get married. “She believes this myth until about a year and a half, two years into the relationship, when she realizes he's not going to ask her to marry him, and she sadly walks away. Unfortunately, by that time they may have already had a child. The unwed birth rate has risen right along with cohabitation. “This is an unbiblical position, of course. I mean, the church has been silent on the problem, and it's part of the problem.” Cognizant of the clarity of Malachi 2:16 in which God says He “hates divorce,” my father's passion on the issue led to his founding of the non-profit Marriage Savers with my mother, Harriet, to whom he was married for 61 years and whom he simply adored.  He said, “Most divorces are filed by one person who alleges incompatibility, while the other spouse wants to save the marriage. Sadly, divorce is always granted. When adultery or abuse is not alleged, divorce should only be granted if there is 'mutual consent' by husband and wife. What was entered into by two people, should not be ended, unless both people agree." They organized 10,000 pastors in 229 cities in 43 states to sign a Community Marriage Policy agreement that established rigorous premarital preparation for engaged couples and trained volunteer mentor couples to help people in troubled marriages. The Baptist Press reported that the divorce rate in those cities dropped by 17.5%. Think about the heartache that saved untold families and children! Their work led to appearances on ABC World News Tonight, CBS Evening News, NBC Nightly News, CBN News, The O'Reilly Factor, The Ricki Lake Show, Breakpoint with Chuck Colson, Focus on the Family with Dr. James Dobson, Truths that Transform with D. James Kennedy, and Moody Radio's Janet Parshall. I treasure the books that Dr. Dobson personally inscribed to my father as a fellow warrior for the family that are now in my library. And Chuck Colson, President Richard Nixon's former hatchet man who was gloriously saved on his way to prison over Watergate and founded Prison Fellowship, wrote the forward to one of Dad's books after their friendship blossomed. Having always aspired to live on the water, he eventually moved into his dream home with his bride in Kilmarnock, Virginia, just 50 feet from Indian Creek that fed into the Chesapeake Bay.  A great day for him was enjoying the view from his leather chair, reading the paper, listening to classical music, and talking with my mother, who was his great joy. My father taught me how to write clearly and think Biblically. I remember him quizzing us three boys at the dining room table about current events. And he was a faithful husband who pointed the family to faith in Jesus Christ, His legacy lives on in my two younger brothers, John and Tim, and in me, as I strive, with my bride Amy, to disciple Honor, Mercy, and Valor in the ways of the Lord, urging them not to be conformed to this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of their minds in the Word of God, as Romans 12:2 articulates. 9 Worldview listeners gave $2,055 And finally, toward our $30,875 goal during the first full week of our month-long fundraiser, 9 listeners stepped up to the plate by 10:30pm Central on Saturday and invested their treasure to fund the six-member team behind The Worldview for another 365 days. Our thanks to 12-year-old Halen in Blum, Texas who gave $5 as well as Mark in Newark, Ohio and Brigitte in Brookings, South Dakota – both of whom gave $25. We're grateful to God for Julie in Victoria, Texas who gave $50, Dirk in Englewood, Colorado who gave $100, and Twyla in Ellensburg, Washington who gave $150. And we were touched by the generosity of Jason in Calhoun, Georgia who gave $200, Elaine here in San Antonio, Texas who gave $500, and Stephen in California, Maryland who gave $1,000. Those 9 gifts add up to $2,055. Ready for our new grand total? Drum roll please. (drum roll sound effect) $23,098 (sound effect of people cheering) That means, in all candor, we missed last Friday's goal by $7,777. Please, do not wait until the last minute.  Every gift gets us closer to our $123,500 goal by July 31st.  So far, out of our tens of thousands of listeners, the most people who have donated in a single day is 15 people. Help us double that.  Will you be one of 30 to step up? Make a donation today to help us hit our $56,565 goal by this Friday, July 17th.  We need to find 7 Worldview listeners who will pledge $100/month for 12 months or give a one-time gift of $1,200, 20 folks who will pledge $50/month or give a one-time gift of $600 and 40 listeners who will pledge $25/month or give a one-time gift of $300. Go to TheWorldview.com, click on Give, select the dollar amount, and make sure to click on the “recurring” button if that's your wish.  What has the Lord placed on your heart to give? Close And that's The Worldview on this Monday, July 13th, in the year of our Lord 2026. Subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music, or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com.  Plus, you can get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.

Conor McGregor recently made a bold public confession of faith in Jesus Christ, declaring: "Jesus Christ is everything in my life… It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. All glory to God." Whenever a celebrity professes faith, Christians often respond in one of two ways: we celebrate too quickly or become skeptical too quickly. But what does the Bible say? Jesus calls His followers to confess Him publicly, and genuine faith should produce a transformed life. In this episode of Culture & Conviction, we look beyond the celebrity and ask the question every believer must answer: Are you willing to publicly identify with Jesus Christ? Matthew 10:32 (ESV): "So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven."

Join Rod Hembree and his team on Bible Discovery as they delve into the profound messages of the prophet Jeremiah. In this episode, they explore the divine judgments on Jerusalem as articulated in Jeremiah chapter 21, emphasizing the choices between life and death. Discover ancient artifacts, including ivory pieces from Jerusalem, and learn about the historical and spiritual context of Jeremiah's time. This enlightening audio journey combines biblical teaching with archaeological insights, encouraging listeners to choose life through faith in Jesus Christ.

Jesus warns that many people will miss heaven because they trust in their own goodness, live for the things of this world, or refuse to believe that He is the Son of God and the only way to salvation. True eternal life comes only through faith in Jesus Christ, whose death and resurrection fully paid the penalty for our sins.

 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”^^^^^^^In Christ. In Community. In Lebanon.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.cornerstonelebanon.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube LivestreamThe Scriptures of both the Old and New Testaments (66 books) are the unique, divinely inspired, authoritative word of God that came through human agents under God's providence. Its primary purpose is to make us wise for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ (2 Timothy 3:15), who is the ultimate revelation of Eternal Life that the Scriptures testify about (John 5:39; Luke 24:25-27).

What does it really mean to be born again?In this Baptism Sunday message from our Uncommon Life series, we look at Jesus' conversation with Nicodemus in John 3 and discover that eternal life isn't earned through religion, good behavior, or moral living—it is received through faith in Jesus Christ.No matter your past or your story, Jesus offers new life through the work of the Holy Spirit. This message explores:Why every person needs spiritual rebirthThe difference between religion and a relationship with JesusGod's incredible love revealed in John 3:16Why Jesus alone is the way to salvationHow baptism celebrates the new life found in ChristAs we celebrate life change through baptism, we're reminded that the gospel isn't about becoming a better person—it's about becoming a new person through Jesus Christ.Key Scriptures: • John 3:1–17 • John 3:16 • Romans 3:23 • Romans 6:23 • Romans 10:9 • Ephesians 2:8–9 • John 14:6If today's message encouraged you, we'd love to hear your story in the comments. Don't forget to Like, Subscribe, and Share this message with someone who needs hope.If you'd like to learn more about following Jesus or taking your next step through baptism, visit 2Rivers Church.Jesus is the Lead Story.#Jesusistheleadstory #BornAgain #John3 #BaptismSunday #JesusSaves #TheUncommonLife #Gospel #ChristianSermon #FaithInJesus #NewLifeInChrist #John316 #BibleTeaching #2RiversChurch #Ephesians #ChurchOnline #HopeInJesus

Sunday Morning Service Series - A Series covering the Book of Romans: Today we cover Romans 5:3-11, Benefits of the Christian Life!! Romans is a theological letter written by Paul the Apostle explaining the gospel and how God saves humanity through grace by faith in Jesus Christ. It teaches that all people—both Jews and Gentiles—are sinners in need of salvation, and that righteousness comes not through the law but through faith in Christ. The letter also calls believers to live transformed lives marked by humility, unity, love, and obedience to God. If you are interested in attending our LIVE teachings (Wednesdays @ 7:00 pm & Sundays @ 10:00 am), you are invited to visit us at 4218 Boston Ave. Lubbock, Texas. To connect with us, you can call us at (806) 799-2227, email us at calvarylubbock@hotmail.com, or checkout our website at CalvaryChapelLubbock.church. You can also watch us on Facebook and contact us through Facebook Messenger. Please feel free to let us know about your walk with Jesus, as we would love to hear it and pray with you. If you'd like to partner with us to help us take the Gospel to the world, just click on the DONATE button on our website, let us know through Facebook Messenger, or in person. We pray that the rest of your week be blessed and that you share the love of Jesus with everyone that you encounter.

Introduction: I Will Doubt... (Numbers 13:1-14:38) If I Am Paralyzed by MY CIRCUMSTANCES . (Num 13:25-33) If I Choose the Comfort of MY PAST . (Num 14:1-4) Romans 6:20-21 - For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. If I Tune Out GODLY COUNSEL . (Num 14:5-10a) James 1:22-25 - But be doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the Word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. If I Follow the CROWD . (Num 14:10b-38) Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANKHint: Highlight blanks above for answers! For Our Example: Ancient Warnings for the Church Today - Do Not Be Doubters Taylor Brown Download Audio Transcript 00:48Well, please turn your Bibles to Numbers chapter 13. Numbers chapter 13.00:55Now, as you turn there, I have a question for you. Have you ever been sent on a spy mission?01:02Really, nobody. I was sent on a spy mission in college. Do you want to hear about it?01:09All right, so in college, I worked for a pet sitting service. I would walk dogs, feed cats, and stay at people's houses while they were on vacation. And one day, my boss asked me to come into her office, and she sat me down for story time. Apparently, she had a client who was a local celebrity, who I won't name here, but this guy was having romantic troubles, to say the least. He and his girlfriend couldn't even be in the same room as each other anymore. And so he asked her to move out and take her stuff with her.01:45And I thought to myself, okay. Interesting, but what does this have to do with me? My boss told me, well, our client doesn't want to go to the house to see if his girlfriend has left or not. He wants one of us to do it. He's going to pay us to do it. And you're the only guy on my payroll, and I don't want to ask the women to do it. Don't worry, you're not breaking and entering. We have his garage code. We have his permission. I know this is a lot to ask, but I'll pay After a lot of reassurance, I would not be arrested or stabbed.02:20I drove over to this guy's house, and I sat on his street for a while.02:25Just like, what am I doing?02:27And there was no car in the driveway.02:30So I eventually get the courage to get out of my car, walk up the driveway.02:34I peek into the garage.02:35It's empty.02:38Type in the garage code.02:40Slip in.02:41And I just keep yelling out, hello, hello.02:44Don't worry.02:45I'm not a burglar. Your boyfriend sent me over. I don't know if that would have really been helpful. Or not. I don't really know. It's what I said. I was really nervous. I wasn't getting sneak attacked or pepper sprayed. But it became very clear that the woman was not there. But here's the problem. All of her stuff was still there. So I had to go back to my boss and our client with a bad report. The woman is gone, but her stuff ain't.03:15I knew that my boss and my client would not be very happy with this bad report from my spy mission. This morning we are studying a biblical spy mission. Twelve Israelite spies are sent on an important assignment and most of the spies come back with a report that won't make Moses or God himself very happy. In my case, I simply reported what I saw all those years ago.03:45But when it comes to the Israelite spies, the unfaithful Israelite spies, they report what they wanted to see. They report what they saw through the eyes of fear when they should report on what they saw through the eyes of faith. These unfaithful spies experience doubt. And at its core, doubt is distrust in the character, purposes, and promises of God. They allow doubt to cloud their vision and make their decisions for them.04:23What about you? You may not be a spy like me, but can you relate to the 10 unfaithful spies at all? Do you ever experience doubt? Do you ever look at your life through the eyes of fear instead of the eyes of faith?04:46Do you ever allow doubt to cloud your vision and make your decisions for you? We are taking a short pause on the book of 1 Corinthians to focus on the books of Exodus and Numbers. This is the second week of our latest series for our example, Ancient Warnings for the Church today. Ancient Israel's history of disobedience should be studied for the sake of our obedience.05:16today. Throughout Exodus and Numbers, the Israelites set negative examples for us to avoid, and God provides warnings that we should not ignore. Last week, we studied the golden calf incident at Mount Sinai, and we received the warning to not be idolaters. This morning, we will receive another warning from God. Do not be doubters. Do not be doubters.05:45You know, heeding this warning, listening to this command from God may be a tall order for some of you. We live in such a stressed out and anxious culture where worry is normalized and excused. Everyone is worried about something. Politics, gas prices, the economy, house projects, young children inside the home, grown-up children outside the home.06:15the home, personal appearance, public opinion, the list is endless. You know, worry and doubt are not just problems out there. Worry and doubt are problems in this room. The outside culture has invaded the church. Many professing Christians are just as stressed out and worried as the unbelievers around them.06:45of faithful dependence upon God, we can so often be negative examples of disbelief in God and his plans for our lives. Maybe your worry is obvious to everyone around you besides you. Maybe you justify your worry in saying, well, I can't help it. This is my personality type. There's nothing I can do. Or maybe you are very well aware of your anxiety.07:15The doubts pile up in your mind, and you don't know what to do next. You don't know how to handle this serious issue. Thankfully, no matter where you fall on the spectrum of doubt, the Lord tells you what to do next in His Word. In Numbers chapter 13 through 14, the Lord calls you to avoid the negative examples of the 10 unfaithful Israelite spies, and He calls you to follow the positive of the two faithful spies. In these chapters, God shines a light on the potholes and pitfalls that will trip you up and cause you to fall into doubt. So before we continue, let's go to the Lord and ask for his help. Please pray for me. I will faithfully proclaim God's word and I will pray for you that you will faithfully receive God's word. Father, you have never once given us a reason to doubt you.08:18But we come before you today to acknowledge that we doubt you all the time.08:23We worry, we stress, we give ourselves over to anxiety.08:30Father, we repent of this and we ask for your help to change.08:35May you use your word to transform us.08:39May you use your word to remind us of your past faithfulness.08:44So the Israelites have escaped slavery in Egypt. They were delivered from the Egyptian army and they passed through the Red Sea. Last week we learned they survived their horrible act of idolatry at the base of Mount Sinai.09:14of disobedience, they're finally at the edge of the promised land. They made it. This journey was a lot harder than it needed to be, but they're finally here. It's like when you're driving on vacation in bumper to bumper traffic and your kids are arguing the whole time. The trip was really painful, but it's going to be worth it, right? The trip's going to be worth it. The destination is going to make all that worth it, right?09:44of the Israelites. Not so much when it comes to the Israelite family vacation.09:50They botched the trip to the promised land, and they're about to botch the trip into the promised land.09:58Twelve spies are sent to spy out the land, scope out the enemies that occupy it, and bring back a report.10:05Before they head out, Moses gives them a pep talk in chapter 13, verse 20.10:10He says, be of good courage and bring some of the fruit of the land. As you discussed, only two of the spies listen to Moses. Only two of them are of good courage and bring back a good report. Ten of them are cowards and they bring back a very negative report. These men choose to travel down the path that leads to doubt. And their path to doubt is the same exact path to doubt that you and I willingly walk down all the time.10:45So what is the path to doubt?10:49There are four attitudes and actions that will lead you to doubting the Lord and His good purposes for you.10:56So on your outline, I will doubt if I am paralyzed by my circumstances.11:02I will doubt if I am paralyzed by my circumstances.11:10Let's read verses 25-27 of chapter 13.11:36It flows with milk and honey. And this is its fruit. So far, so good, right? The first section of this report seems faithful. They give a positive description of the land. It's flowing with milk and honey. They even obey Moses' command and bring back some of the fruit of the land. Good job, guys. Well, this thumbs up is about to turn to a thumbs down. Very quickly, this report goes off the rails in verses 28 through 29.12:06However, that's when it goes wrong. However, the people who dwell in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large, and besides, we saw the descendants of Anaknir.12:19The Amalekites dwell in the land of the Negev.12:21The Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites dwell in the hill country.12:25And the Canaanites dwell by the sea and along the Jordan.12:31They're doing great until that, however, changes everything.12:38Yes, the land has a lot of flocks.12:40It has a lot of fruit.12:42It's a great land.12:44But the people there are really scary.12:47They are freakishly tall.12:48They have huge cities with massive walls.12:51They are way too strong.12:56There are enemies everywhere.13:00The unfaithful spies overshadow the goodness of the land with their however talk.13:07They downplay God's good gift to them, and they overhype the obstacles in their way.13:14You and I are great at this kind of however talk as well.13:19You think to yourself, yeah, I should be more present at home and engaging with my kids.13:24However, I'm just so exhausted when I get home.13:27I have nothing left to give.13:31Oh, I know I should take part in the New Testament reading plans that they're doing at Harvest. However, I'm just way too busy to commit to something like that. Maybe whenever life slows down. I should lead my family in devotions. However, I don't really know what I would say. I don't really know what I would do, so I'm just going to avoid that. I know I should share my faith and tell people about Jesus. However, I'm an introvert.14:00And it really makes me uncomfortable to do that. However talk leads to doubt. Doubt leads to disobedience. And disobedience leads to a denial of the blessings that God wants to give to you. A voice of reason cuts through their however talk in verse 30. Caleb, one of the faithful spies, speaks up for God and tells the truth. He calls people to action. Look at verse 30. But Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, let us go up at once and occupy it for we are well able to overcome it. The unfaithful spies are dumping gasoline on the fire and fueling the fear of the people. The Israelites must respond in a loud panic because Caleb has to shut them up. He says, shush them so that they will listen to them.15:00And Caleb says, guys, let's stop talking and let's start going. We will defeat them. This is Caleb's epic movie moment. He is rallying the troops like William Wallace and Braveheart or Theoden in Lord of the Rings. If this were a movie, the epic music would blast. They would all raise their swords and storm the promised land. Happy ending. Is that what happens?15:30Now, the response to Caleb's epic speech is more however talk. The unfaithful spies ratchet up. They intensify their bad report in verses 31 through 33. Then the men who had gone up with him said, we are not able to go up against the people for they are stronger than we are. A.K.A. they are stronger than God.16:01So they brought to the people of Israel a bad report of the land that they had spied out saying the land through which we have gone to spy out is a land that devours its inhabitants and all the people that we saw in it are of a great height and there we saw the Nephilim the sons of Anak who come from the Nephilim and we seem to ourselves like grasshoppers and so we seemed to them. In verse 27 They mix in a positive description of the land. It's flowing with milk and honey. In these verses, they are straight negative. Now on second thought, the land isn't so great. Actually, it's a terrible place that will destroy us, that will devour us, and the people there are way too strong. We will lose if we go. What is their problem? Why are they saying these things?17:00making a bad decision you'll say and do just about anything to carry that out you'll exaggerate you'll lie you'll steamroll over others who disagree with you never underestimate the power of fear and its ability to distort your perception of reality the unfaithful spies are paralyzed by what they saw in the promised land and they are too and do what God said.17:35Can you relate to the ten unfaithful spies at all?17:40Do you ever exaggerate your problems?17:44Do you ever catastrophize your life?17:49Do you feel paralyzed by your circumstances right now and unable to move forward?17:56Maybe you are paralyzed by the difficult circumstances of your marriage right now.18:01Your marriage hasn't been good for months, maybe even years, and you've given up hope that it will ever change, so you just sleepwalk through life.18:11Maybe you are paralyzed by the difficult circumstances of your children not really caring about Jesus, constantly disobeying you, and you've just given up.18:23You doubt that things will ever change. So you wave the white flag. Maybe the difficult circumstance you are paralyzed by right now is a relational strain in your life. You and a family member haven't talked for a long time. Whenever you're in the same room, there's a lot of tension. And you doubt that it will ever improve. So you stop doing your part in reconciling the relationship. Maybe you are paralyzed by the difficult circumstance of a very hard decision that you need to make very soon. And you think to yourself, there's no way there will be a positive outcome to this, so it doesn't really matter what I decide. You're paralyzed. You don't know what to do, so you decide to do nothing. You decide to disobey the Lord. And please hear me, I know that many of you are going through an intense season of suffering. Some of which I know, some of which I don't know. You're experiencing loss, isolation, sickness, deep wounds in your family. The hits keep on coming and you don't see an end in sight. I do not want to minimize your pain, but I do want to maximize your view of the Lord. You will continue to be paralyzed by your circumstances until you choose to focus on the God who is far greater and far stronger than your circumstances. You may have been thrown for a loop by what happened to you, but God wasn't. Instead of being paralyzed by the immensity of your problems, be encouraged by the immensity of your God. When you have a small vision of God, your problems seem unbelievably out of control.20:27But when you have a big vision of a big God, your problems are teeny tiny in comparison.20:34Small God, big problems.20:36Big God, small problems.20:38Do that with me.20:39Small God, big problems.20:42Big God, small problems.20:45Remember, I will doubt if I am paralyzed by my circumstances.20:50Secondly, I will doubt if I choose the comfort of my past. I will doubt if I choose the comfort of my past. The day after a presidential election is a fascinating social experiment, isn't it? Does the losing side really respond with grace and poise? Almost never. You turn on the TV, no matter who wins, no matter who loses, there is a temper tantrum.21:20There's upset feelings. There's even crying. People threatening to leave the country, which never actually happens. I've never seen that. People actually follow through on that. The Israelites react to this bad report in a very similar way at the beginning of Numbers 14. Look at verses 1 through 4 of chapter 14. Then all the congregation raised a loud cry, and the people wept that night. And all the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron.21:50The whole congregation said to them, Would that we had died in the land of Egypt, or would that we had died in the wilderness?21:56Why is the Lord bringing us into this land to fall by the sword?22:00Our wives and our little ones will become a prey.22:03Would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?22:08And they said to one another, Let us choose a leader and go back to Egypt.22:15Wouldn't you know it, it's pity party time.22:18The Israelites are feeling bad for themselves. Do you see yourself in this response at all? I know that I do. I had a very bad reaction a few weeks ago. I had a very long and frustrating day, and I just wanted to go to bed. Anybody else, has that ever happened to you? You're just like, I'm just done with this day. I want to start over fresh tomorrow. And I thought to myself, you know what, I'm just going to fill up my water bottle, just in case I'm thirsty in the middle I'm going to go to bed. So I fill it up to the brim. It's a pretty big water bottle. Here's the problem. I didn't tighten the lid. So when I go to grab it, it spills over the entire counter. It goes down into all the drawers and it goes back behind the oven. And I just sit there and be like, what just happened? The water was everywhere. It took me 20 minutes to clean it up. I had to pull the oven out and dry behind there. And then you see all the stuff that's under your oven, which is really gross. So I'm scrubbing. I'm vacuuming. I'm doing all that. I have to pull all the drawers open and towel them dry. All of our pans are soaked. All of our bread bags are soaked. I'm fuming. And I go up to my bedroom and I tell my wife all about it. I have a very bad reaction. I say, why does this stuff always happen to me? I'm like a magnet for annoying and embarrassing stories. And then I proceeded to list all the embarrassing things that happened to me recently.23:47Like getting hit by an uninsured DoorDash driver. Who else has that happened to? Breaking my foot on stilts. Who else has that happened to? If you don't know that story, take me to Chick-fil-A sometime and I'll tell you all about it. But anyway, I'm going through this list and I finally finish my monologue. And my wife says, nothing. And she looks at me with the look that only a wife can have.24:17This water incident was not ridiculous. My response was ridiculous. Even more than that, my response was ungodly and wrong. The Israelites' response in this passage is ridiculous. It's ungodly. It's wrong. They grumble and complain against their leaders. They grumble and complain against God. They even accuse God of pulling a cruel prank on them.24:45Oh, God only brought us out of Egypt so we could die here. He did that to kill our children. Yeah, that makes a lot of sense, guys. God did all that just to zing you. Right. It's ridiculous. Foolish thinking leads to foolish behavior. I don't want to focus too much on their grumbling because we're going to talk about their complaining more at the end of this series. The Israelites not only complain and make accusations, They also openly rebel against God. And they start a mutiny. They refuse to enter the promised land. And they say, we're going back to Egypt. They want to go back to slavery. Why would they want to do that? Why would the Israelites want to go back to slavery? Because it's familiar. Because it's comfortable. Because there are no surprises.25:46They know what to expect from day to day. A life of bondage is more comfortable than a life of trusting God. And the same is true for Christians today. This is why in times of trial and uncertainty, you are the most tempted to go back to who you used to be and what you used to do before Jesus Christ saved you. You are the most tempted to slip back into your old sinful patterns.26:16And Paul warns against this temptation in Romans 6, 20-21. He says, For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. But what fruit were you getting at the time from the things of which you were now ashamed? What good did it do you? For the end of those things is death. There is no upside to sin. There is no benefit to going back. It is pointless.26:46You will be disappointed when you slip back into your old self. When you slip back into your old sinful patterns. It's like watching a movie that you used to love when you were a kid, but now it does nothing for you. Just turn it off and move on. It's like slipping into an old jacket that used to fit you so well in high school or college, but now it's way too loose, it's way too tight. Take it off, throw it in the trash, and wear something that's fits who you actually are now.27:20I could spend the rest of this sermon listing off all the sinful patterns you are tempted to slip back into.27:26But that's pointless because you know exactly what sinful pattern you are tempted to slip back into.27:35Maybe you're feeling that itch right now.27:39Maybe you've scratched that itch already and you're feeling that urge yet again.27:46Well, please consider the answer to these two questions with me. When has sin ever helped you? What's the answer to that question? Never. When has sin ever been the right solution to your problem? Not even once. Going back to your past sin will only hurt you and it will never help you. It will only amplify the fears and doubts that you're already experiencing.28:14experiencing. Sometimes it feels like the current of temptation is impossible to resist.28:20But that's not true.28:22Don't just give up and go back.28:24Instead, by the grace of God, by the power of the Holy Spirit, dig in and move forward.28:31Be honest with a Christian friend or family member.28:36Talk to me or one of the elders after service.28:38We would love to pray for you.28:39We would love to give you the counsel that you need.28:43Listen to the warning of this passage. I know that many of you just need to hear from the Lord. You don't have to go back. You don't have to do this. Do you believe that? You don't have to go back. You may feel like you have to give in to your sin, but you don't. You don't have to do this. You I will doubt if I am paralyzed by my circumstances. I will doubt if I choose the comfort of my past. I will doubt if I tune out godly counsel. I will tune out if I tune out godly counsel. At this point, most of the Israelites are packing their bags and typing the address for Egypt in their GPS. They are ready to go.29:43But there are four men who are willing to stand in the gap and go against the grain of this insanity. And two of these men are the faithful spies, Joshua and Caleb. They speak up and give godly counsel. In chapter 14, verses 5 through 9.30:13and said to all the congregation of the people of Israel, the land which we passed to to spy it out is an exceedingly good land.30:22If the Lord delights in us, he will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land that flows with milk and honey.30:30Only do not rebel against the Lord.30:33And do not fear the people of the land, for they are bred for us.30:37Their protection is removed from them, and the Lord is with us.30:41Do not fear them. Caleb is two for two with the inspiring speeches. And this time Joshua, his friend, backs him up. You think, okay, maybe this time the people will listen. Maybe this time they will respond in faith instead of doubt. Look at their response in verse 10. Then all the congregation said to stone them with stones. Once again, you just want to reach the Pages of Scripture and shake them by the shoulders. Why won't you listen? Why do you keep disobeying? Why do you keep doubting? Those are great questions. Let me answer those questions with questions of my own. Have you ever not listened to God's Word in the past? Have you ever closed your Bible after reading it and not done what it said?31:41Have you ever not lived out what you were called to in a faithful sermon? Have you ever tuned out godly counsel from a wise Christian friend? I see a lot of nodding heads. I hear some yeses. But why? Why didn't you listen to God's word? Why did you tune out godly counsel? Because you thought you knew better than God. You trusted yourself.32:11when you should have trusted him. That godly counsel from a solid Christian friend wasn't what you wanted to hear, so you chose to go with your own way. You chose to follow your own advice. Like mold, doubt thrives in the darkness. Doubt will continue to spread in your heart and your mind if you do not willingly expose yourself to the light of God's word. But here's the thing.32:41It's not enough to just buy a lamp and put it in your living room.32:46What do you need to do next?32:49Turn it on.32:50That's the only way you can experience the illuminating power of the lamp.32:54You have to do something.32:56This requires action.32:58It's the same with God's Word.33:00It's not enough just to have the Bible on your nightstand, on your bookshelf.33:05You have to actually do something.33:07You have to actually read it.33:10It's not even enough just to read the Bible. It's not enough just to come every Sunday and hear the Word. You have to actually do something with it. You have to actually have action and follow through. You have to live in obedience to it to truly experience the life-giving power of God's Word. The death-destroying power of Scripture. This requires you doing what it says.33:40I stole it from the Bible. Listen to James.33:45But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.33:48For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in the mirror.33:55For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.33:59But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.34:11The Israelites hear what God has to say, but they do not do what God says. They are hearers who forget and not doers who act, so they forfeit God's blessing. Are you a hearer who forgets? Or are you a doer who acts and receives God's blessing? Could it be that you are so worried, anxious, and filled with doubt because you know a lot this book, but you're not doing a lot with this book.34:46Your knowledge of Scripture is very high, but your obedience percentage is very, very low.34:55I have to tell you, that's a very destructive place to be, and you do not want to stay there.35:01If you stay in that position of knowing a lot, but not doing what the Bible says, you will doubt that God knows what He is doing.35:09You will doubt that God loves you. You will doubt your salvation. You will not have an assurance of your faith. This is why so many believers do not believe in the truth of the gospel, not trust that they have an assurance. They're not living in obedience to Scripture. They're not enjoying that close fellowship that comes with doing what God says. You know the Bible, but don't live it out. You will doubt.35:39It's just a matter of time.35:43I will doubt if I am paralyzed by my circumstances.35:47I will doubt if I choose the comfort of sin.35:50I will doubt if I tune out godly counsel.35:53And finally, I will doubt if I follow the crowd.35:58I will doubt if I follow the crowd.36:04Israel is about to treat Joshua and Caleb like human pinatas.36:08They're about to stone them.36:11Then in chapter 14, verse 10, God shows up on the scene himself and stops the whole thing, and he takes Moses aside for a personal conversation.36:22It's very similar to what we studied last week in Exodus chapter 32.36:26Once again, God tells Moses, I'm going to destroy this rebellious people and start over with you.36:33Once again, Moses pleads for mercy.36:37And once again, God responds that plea for mercy and chooses to save the Israelites. God answers Moses' request, but there will be consequences. There will be consequences for the doubters, and there will be blessing for those who remain faithful. Let's look at these consequences and blessings in chapter 14, verse 20 into 38. I know it's a lot, but please stay with me.37:07But truly, as I live, as all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord, none of the men who have seen my glory and my signs that I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and yet have put me to the test these ten times, and have not obeyed my voice, shall see the land that I swore to give to their fathers, and none of those who despise me shall see it. But my servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit and has followed me fully, I will bring him to the land into which he went, and his descendants shall possess it.37:37Now since the Amalekites and the Canaanites dwell in the valleys, turn tomorrow and set out for the wilderness by the way of the Red Sea. And the Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron saying, How long shall this wicked congregation grumble against me? I have heard the grumblings of the people of Israel which they grumble against me. Say to them, As I live, declares the Lord, what you have said in my hearing I will do to you. Your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness.38:07who have grumbled against me. Not one shall come into this land where I swore you, where I make you to dwell, except Caleb, the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua, the son of Nun. But your little ones, who you said would become prey, I will bring in, and they shall know the land that you have rejected. But as for you, your dead bodies shall fall in the wilderness, and your children shall be shepherds in the wilderness 40 years, and shall suffer for your faithlessness. And for the last of your dead bodies lies in the wilderness.38:38According to the number of the days in which you spy out the land, 40 days, a year for each day, you shall bear your iniquity 40 years, and you shall know my displeasure. I, the Lord, have spoken. Surely this I will do to all this wicked congregation who are gathered together against me. In this wilderness they shall come to a full end, and there they shall die. And the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land, who returned and made all the congregation grumble against him, by bringing up a bad report, the man who brought up a bad report of the land died by a plague before the Lord. Of those who went out to spy the land, only Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh remained alive. Let's cover the consequences first. The older generations who doubted and grumbled will never see the promised land. They will die in the wilderness. And along the way they'll have to wander for 40 years.39:37One year for every single day the spies were in the land. The younger generations will see the promised land, but they have to wait for 40 years. So if you are 19 when this happened, how old will you be when you see the promised land? 59 years old. These are the consequences for doubting the Lord. These are the consequences for caring about public opinion more than God's definitive word.40:06These are the consequences for following the crowd instead of following the Lord. But there is blessing for those who follow the Lord instead of follow the crowd. God says only two of the spies will not die. Only two of the spies will see the promised land. Joshua and Caleb. These men remain faithful when everyone around them is faithless. They choose to trust when everyone else doubts.40:37Why? What makes them so special? Well, God tells us. God says it's about Caleb. He has a different spirit than the rest of the Israelites. He says he follows the Lord fully. What does that mean? It means that Caleb does whatever God says, no matter what. When it's easy, when it's not so easy, when it seems impossible.41:10He only cares about what God says. He doesn't lick His finger and try to figure out which direction the wind is blowing. He is willing to stand out as different. He refuses to blend in and be like everybody else. Do you have a different spirit than the non-believers around you? Do you have a different spirit than the non-Christians at work, your non-Christian neighbors? Or do you look just like them? Do you follow the Lord fully, or do you follow the Lord half-heartedly? I said at the beginning of this message that many Christians look just as anxious, stressed out, and worried as the non-Christians around them. Is that you today?42:08If that's you, you can have a different spirit today. You can follow the Lord fully today. You can bring all of your cares, all of your intrusive thoughts to God, and His perfect peace will guard your heart and your mind today. You can cast all of your anxieties on Him today because He cares for you today. And every other day after that, you can make a change today.42:36I really don't want you to mishear me. Please listen carefully.42:40You will experience doubt. You will experience worry. You will experience fear.42:47These are just the realities of living in a fallen world. But you do not need to be controlled by these things any longer. You don't need to be worried all the time. Do not sentence yourself to a life of stress.43:02It may be a badge of honor in this sinful culture, but it will not be rewarded in heaven. Being worried all the time may seem normal by this world's standards, but it is not normal by heaven's standards. Do not follow the crowd and willingly travel down the path to doubt any longer. Be on guard against the four attitudes and actions that will lead you down the path to doubt.43:31You will doubt if you are paralyzed by your circumstances. You will doubt if you choose the comfort of your past. You will doubt if you tune out godly counsel. And you will doubt if you follow the crowd. The Lord is so faithful in giving us what we need to fight against doubt. He has given us His word. He has given us prayer. He has given us His people.44:01and he has given us the Lord's Supper. You may be wondering, how does communion help me to fight against doubt? Every single time we share in this meal together, we are rejecting the lies of this world and we are proclaiming the truths of God's word. Every single time we take part in this meal together, we are rejecting the lies that Jesus is just a made-up fairy tale or some moral teacher who has nice things to say 2,000 years ago. We are proclaiming that Jesus Christ is Savior and Lord. We are rejecting the lies that we're not sure what happens after you die, or there are multiple ways to God. No, instead, we are proclaiming that Jesus Christ is the only way, the only truth, and the only life. We are rejecting the lies that God doesn't care about us. We are proclaiming that God is our Father, and He adopted us through faith in His Son.45:00We are rejecting the lie that we could ever be good enough to earn God's love and we are proclaiming that in Christ we are loved by God. We are accepted by God. We are forgiven. We are made new. Every single time we share this meal together we are rejecting the lies of this world and proclaiming the unshakable truths of heaven. What better way is there to fight against doubt than that? Our communion servers and our worship team can now make their way forward.45:31You do not need to be a member of Harvest Bible Chapel to take part in the Lord's Supper, but you do need to be a member of the family of God. There are some of you in this room who do not have faith in Jesus Christ. You doubt what the Bible says about who He is and what He has done. If that's you, I encourage you to stay seated. I encourage you to consider where your doubt has led you. Doubting Jesus has only led to misery, heartache, and pain. I implore you today to be done with doubt and to place your trust in Jesus Christ alone for salvation. If you are a born-again believer in Jesus, in a few moments you will walk down one of the center aisles and come receive the elements from one of our servers. You will go back to your seat and wait until we take the Lord's Supper together. You can come as you are ready. Small Group DiscussionRead Numbers 13:1-14:38What was your big take-away from this passage / message?Why has worry become such an acceptable sin in the church? What do you tend to worry and stress about the most?What circumstances are you paralyzed by and how can you begin to move forward?What biblical command or godly counsel do you need to apply to your life right now?BreakoutPray for one another.

The sermon centers on John 3:16-21, emphasizing God's sacrificial love as the foundation for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. It contrasts the spiritual darkness of sin with the illuminating power of Christ, arguing that humanity naturally prefers darkness due to evil deeds but is offered a cure through divine grace. The preacher critiques Calvinist theology by affirming universal availability of salvation and stresses that genuine belief results in immediate eternal life and a transformed lifestyle. Believers are urged to recognize their past sinfulness, remain confident in their secure salvation, and actively walk in the light by witnessing to others. Ultimately, the message calls both the lost and the saved to embrace Christ as Savior and live faithfully in His truth.

Faith or works? Promise or law? In Romans 4:13–15, Paul explains that God's promises are never earned through law-keeping—they are received by faith. Looking to Abraham as the great example of faith, this sermon shows that God did not make Abraham an heir because of his obedience, but because he believed God's promise. What happens if we try to earn God's favor? Paul gives a sobering answer: if the inheritance comes by the law, then faith is emptied of its meaning, and the promise is made void. The law exposes sin and brings wrath, but it cannot produce the righteousness that God requires. Instead, God freely gives His promises through faith in Jesus Christ. The inheritance of the kingdom, forgiveness of sins, and peace with God are gifts of grace—not wages earned by our performance. If you've ever struggled with assurance, felt like you weren't "good enough," or wondered how you could ever stand before a holy God, this passage points away from yourself and toward the finished work of Christ.

The Fellowship of Christian Athletes' exciting local radio program, Heart of the Athlete, airs Saturdays at 9:30 am MST on 94.5 FM and 790 AM Boise's Solid Talk. The show is hosted by local FCA Director, Ken Lewis. This program is a great opportunity to listen to local athletes and coaches share their lives, combining sports with their faith in Jesus Christ each week!Our relationships will demonstrate steadfast commitment to Jesus Christ and His Word through Integrity, Serving, Teamwork and Excellence.NNU Box 3359623 S University BlvdNampa, ID 83686United States(208) 697-1051klewis@fca.orghttps://www.fcaidaho.org/Podcast Website: https://www.790kspd.com/podcast-heart-of-the-athlete/

The "sinner's prayer" has become a familiar part of evangelism in many churches. After a gospel message, people are often invited to bow their heads, repeat a prayer, and are then told that if they sincerely meant those words, they have been saved.Many Christians have seen this approach used in youth events, church services, and evangelistic outreaches. But is this the pattern we find in Scripture? Should leading someone in a sinner's prayer be part of our evangelism?The prayer itself is not necessarily the problem. The concern is how it is often used. While there is nothing inherently wrong with expressing faith through prayer, there are several dangers that can arise when the sinner's prayer becomes the focus of evangelism.1. Jesus and the Apostles Never Used ItThe first thing to notice is that neither Jesus nor the apostles used the sinner's prayer as a method of evangelism.Think about Jesus' conversations with Nicodemus, Zacchaeus, and the Samaritan woman. There is no example of Jesus inviting someone to repeat a prayer after Him in order to be saved. Instead, Jesus often challenged people in unexpected ways. He told Nicodemus that he "must be born again," (John 3:3) a statement that left him confused and asking questions. He told the rich young ruler to sell his possessions and give to the poor (Mark 10:21). To the Samaritan woman, He said, "Go, call your husband." (John 4:16).These were not easy responses. Rather, they exposed the condition of each person's heart and showed the impossibility of saving themselves through their own efforts.The same pattern continues in the book of Acts. After Peter preached on the Day of Pentecost, the people asked, "What shall we do?" Peter did not respond by leading them in a prayer. Instead, he called them to "Repent and be baptized...for the forgiveness of your sins" (Acts 2:38). Baptism was the outward expression of repentance and faith. Likewise, the criminal on the cross never prayed a sinner's prayer. He simply said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” - Luke 23:42-43Throughout the New Testament, there is no example of Jesus or the apostles asking someone to repeat a specific prayer in order to receive salvation.2. It Can Become a Ritual Instead of FaithAnother danger is that the sinner's prayer can easily become a ritual. In cultures with strong religious traditions, many people are accustomed to thinking that performing the right ritual brings them closer to God. It is easy for the sinner's prayer to become just another religious act. Instead of trusting Christ, people may begin trusting that they said the correct words. Many believers can remember wondering, "Did I pray it correctly?" or "Did I say the right thing?" Those questions reveal that the focus has shifted from faith in Christ to confidence in an action.Our goal in evangelism should always be to lead people to faith, not to confidence in a religious ritual.3. It Can Minimize Repentance and FaithWhen Jesus began His ministry, His message was clear: Repent and believe - Mark 1:15These two responses appear repeatedly throughout the New Testament. Repentance is more than simply acknowledging that we are sinners or repeating a prayer. It is a change of heart that turns from unbelief to faith in Christ. It is recognizing who God is, understanding our sinful condition, and turning to Christ in faith.As J.D. Greear writes in Stop Asking Jesus into Your Heart:Repentance is not simply praying a prayer that acknowledges our sinfulness and asks for forgiveness. Nor is it walking an aisle, signing a card, or giving a public testimony. Repentance is not fundamentally a motion of the hands, mouth or feet. It is a motion of the heart in which we abandon our posture of rebellion and adopt one of submission toward Christ.Charles Spurgeon also described repentance as a true change of mind that includes the Holy Spirit's work of exposing sin and producing hatred for it. When evangelism centers primarily on getting someone to pray, repentance can easily become an outward action instead of an inward change of heart.4. It Can Oversimplify the GospelAnother concern is that the sinner's prayer can reduce the gospel to a few memorized phrases.The message of Christ is rich and deep. Throughout the Gospels, Jesus taught the same gospel, but He approached different people from different angles, applying God's truth to their specific circumstances. Good evangelism does the same.Rather than rushing someone to repeat a prayer, we should help them understand who God is, who they are before Him, and how the gospel speaks directly to the deepest problems of life. The better we know the gospel ourselves, the better equipped we will be to explain its richness and apply it to the people we are speaking with.5. It Can Give False AssurancePerhaps the greatest danger is giving someone assurance of salvation before there is genuine faith.Many people remember raising a hand, walking forward at a meeting, or praying a prayer years ago. Yet when asked about the gospel, they show little understanding of who Christ is or what He has done. Their confidence rests in an event rather than in Christ Himself.One example came during an outreach to disabled refugees in Odesa. Many of those attending had backgrounds in New Age beliefs or spiritism and did not yet have a clear understanding of the gospel. At the end of the meeting, a guest speaker asked everyone who wanted to go to heaven to raise their hand. Most of the room responded, and they were immediately assured that they were saved.Experiences like this demonstrate why we should be careful. The gospel often takes time for people to understand. Rather than giving quick assurance based on an outward response, we should patiently teach the gospel and encourage people to place their faith in Christ alone.Is the Sinner's Prayer Wrong?None of this means the sinner's prayer itself is wrong. A prayer that includes confession, repentance, and faith can be a perfectly appropriate response to the gospel. The problem is not the prayer itself, but believing that the prayer is what saves.Salvation comes through faith in Jesus Christ—not through repeating certain words.When someone demonstrates genuine faith and a clear understanding of the gospel, praying together can be a wonderful way for that person to confess their faith to God. But the prayer should express the faith that already exists; it should never become a substitute for it.As we share the gospel, may our focus remain where Scripture places it: calling people to genuine repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, while carefully avoiding anything that could lead them to trust in a ritual rather than in the Savior.

In this special Reasoning Through the Bible discussion, we step away from the normal verse-by-verse format for an informal conversation on eschatology and end-times systems. This session compares views such as premillennialism, amillennialism, covenant theology, preterism, and postmillennialism, while asking a central question: Does God still have a future plan for Israel?The discussion focuses on the sequence found in the Old Testament prophets: Israel's sin, God's judgment, the nations gathering against Jerusalem, Israel crying out to the Lord, and God restoring His people. We examine passages and themes from Ezekiel, Zechariah, Joel, Daniel, Romans 11, Acts 1, and Revelation 20, showing why we believe the biblical pattern points to a future restoration of Israel and a future kingdom ruled by Christ.A major emphasis in this episode is that there is only one way of salvation. Israel is not saved apart from Christ. Gentiles are not saved apart from Christ. Salvation is through faith in Jesus Christ alone. At the same time, God's national promises to Israel, the Abrahamic covenant, and the future kingdom should not be erased or replaced by the church.Topics in this episode include:eschatology and end timespremillennialismamillennialismcovenant theologypreterismpostmillennialismIsrael and the churchAbrahamic covenantRomans 11 and IsraelEzekiel 36 and restorationZechariah and the pierced MessiahRevelation 20 and the millenniumJesus reigning from Jerusalemone salvation through ChristReasoning Through the Bible is a verse-by-verse Bible teaching ministry committed to careful exposition, biblical context, and faithful application.Support the showThank you for listening!!  Please give us a five-star rating to help your podcast provider's algorithm spread RTTB among their listeners. You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the BiblePlease prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

Send us Fan MailA calm Bible study can turn intense fast when the question on the table is who Jesus really is. We begin with the bigger backdrop: humanity's long habit of turning from God, building idols, and needing God himself to regenerate the heart if we're ever going to desire what is good. From there, we get practical about online Christian community, why “mature” rooms feel different, and why we'd rather build a space for students of Scripture than a stage for whoever can be the loudest.Then we draw a sharp line between debate and chaos. Healthy debate can be a gift when it stays cordial, listens carefully, and keeps dragging every claim back to the Bible. We talk about the freedom to say “I don't know,” the danger of acting like we already have it all figured out, and why rereading familiar verses can keep revealing new depth for decades.The discussion pivots into core Christian doctrine and biblical interpretation: justification by faith in Jesus Christ from Galatians 2:15–21, salvation and confession from Romans 10:9, and a close look at Mark 10:17–18 where Jesus responds to being called “good.” A guest challenges the deity of Christ, and we wrestle openly with what worship means if God alone deserves it, closing with 1 John 5:20 and a final warning about idols. If you care about Christian theology, the Trinity, and learning Scripture without losing love for people, this one will stretch you. Subscribe, share it with a friend who loves Bible study, and leave a review with the verse you think we should read next.Support the showBE PROVOKED AND BE PERSUADED!

Pastor Billy Driver opens by pointing to a sobering reality: we live in a world that spends over a trillion dollars a year convincing us that contentment is just one more purchase away. Drawing from Exodus 20:17, he defines covetousness as an illicit desire for what God has not given us — a heart that is dissatisfied with God's provision and seeks satisfaction somewhere other than Him. Paul reinforces this in Colossians 3:5, calling covetousness a form of idolatry, warning that it places people and possessions on the throne of the heart where God alone belongs. Pastor Billy then traces the Marks of a covetous heart — it doubts God, envies others, and breeds sin — walking through examples ranging from the fall in Genesis to David's sin with Bathsheba in 2 Samuel 11. Against this, he sets four characteristics of a contented heart: it trusts God, gives thanks, loves others, and lives generously. Drawing from Philippians 4:11-13, he reminds the congregation that contentment is not natural — it is learned through dependence on Christ in every circumstance. He closes with a challenge rooted in the Gospel. The law exposes our guilt, but it cannot change our hearts. Only Christ can do that. The secret of contentment, Pastor Billy urges, is not to suppress desire, but to replace covetous desires with a desire for God Himself — the great exchange made possible through faith in Jesus Christ.  WE'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU! Take a moment to fill out our digital connection card here: https://www.bayleaf.org/connect We hope you enjoy this programming and please let us know if there is anything we can do to be of service to you. ONE CHURCH. TWO LOCATIONS. ONE MISSION. Bay Leaf at Falls Lake: 12200 Bayleaf Church Road, Raleigh, North Carolina 27614 Bay Leaf at 540: 10921 Leesville Rd, Raleigh, NC 27613 SERVICE TIMES Come join us on Sundays at Bay Leaf at Falls Lake (8:30 AM or 11:00 AM) or at Bay Leaf at 540 (10:00 AM) CONTACT www.bayleaf.org (919) 847-4477 #BayLeafLife #Worship #Inspiration

Moses - Lawgiver and Nation Builder In this sermon, we explore the profound role of Moses not just as a liberator but as a lawgiver who transformed the Israelites from a wandering people into a nation under God. This transformation is grounded in the biblical narrative found in Exodus 19:1-6 and Exodus 20:1-17, where Moses receives the law from God at Mount Sinai. The Judeo-Christian Foundation The sermon begins by questioning and affirming the Judeo-Christian roots of Western civilization and the United States. The speaker emphasizes that biblical morality, as given through Moses, underpins the nation's founding principles. This foundation is crucial as it sets the stage for understanding how laws were established to maintain freedom and order. Moses: From People to Nation Exodus 19:1-6: Here, the Israelites arrive at the desert of Sinai, marking a pivotal moment where Moses meets with God to receive the law. This encounter is not just about legal codes but about forming a covenant that would unite the Israelites as a nation. Exodus 20:1-17: This passage introduces the Ten Commandments, the moral laws written in stone by God's own finger. These commandments are the bedrock for Israel's nationhood and serve as a guide for moral and civil governance. The Covenant and Its Importance The sermon highlights two covenants: The Abrahamic Covenant: A unilateral promise from God to Abraham, establishing a nation through grace. The Mosaic Covenant: A bilateral agreement requiring the Israelites to obey God's laws to maintain their freedom and identity as a nation. The speaker underscores that these covenants were not merely historical artifacts but living principles that shaped Israel and continue to influence modern governance and freedom. The Role of the Ten Commandments The Ten Commandments are divided into two categories: Love and Honor God: The first four commandments focus on worship, reverence, and the sacredness of God's name and the Sabbath. Love and Honor People: The remaining six commandments guide interpersonal relationships, emphasizing life, justice, and respect for others. These principles are echoed in Matthew 22:37-40, where Jesus summarizes the law as loving God and loving one's neighbor. Lessons for Today The sermon draws parallels between the founding of Israel and the United States, arguing that both were built on divine principles. The speaker cites historical figures like John Adams and Benjamin Franklin, who recognized the necessity of a moral foundation for sustaining a republic. John Adams: Emphasized that the Constitution is only adequate for a moral and religious people. Benjamin Franklin: Warned that maintaining a republic requires adherence to moral laws. Conclusion The message concludes with a call to action: as individuals and as a nation, we must embrace the freedom given to us by God through faith in Jesus Christ. The laws and principles established by God through Moses are not just ancient texts but living guides for maintaining freedom and justice today. The sermon ends with a prayer of gratitude for the freedoms enjoyed and a reminder of the responsibility to uphold them through faith and moral integrity. For further reflection on these themes, consider reading Exodus 19 and Exodus 20 in full to understand the foundation of the laws that shaped a nation and continue to influence us today.

How does faith in Jesus Christ strengthen marriage and family life? In this episode, Dr. David Dollahite and Dr. Loren Marks discuss how discipleship and shared spiritual commitment create resilience and unity in marital and family relationships.

Some locations mark our lives forever because of what God did for us there. Today, Sinclair Ferguson takes a mental visit to the pulpit he sat under when he came to faith in Jesus Christ—a pulpit from which he later preached. Read the transcript: https://ligonier.org/podcasts/things-unseen-with-sinclair-ferguson/a-little-pulpit-in-scotland/ A donor-supported outreach of Ligonier Ministries. Donate: https://donate.ligonier.org/ Explore all of our podcasts: https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts

Join us as we discuss that our salvation is by God's grace alone, through faith alone, in Jesus Christ alone, and not by any of our works. We can't earn our salvation.

Stop judging by mere appearances but instead judgecorrectly. Don't nurse hatred in your heart towards others. Don't judge your neighbor – rather, help your neighbor to discern. Engage in the sacred shut-up and let the Spirit of the Lord and the Community of the Lord form and reformyou.^^^^^^^In Christ. In Community. In Lebanon.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.cornerstonelebanon.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube LivestreamThe Scriptures of both the Old and New Testaments (66 books) are the unique, divinely inspired, authoritative word of God that came through human agents under God's providence. Its primary purpose is to make us wise for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ (2 Timothy 3:15), who is the ultimate revelation of Eternal Life that the Scriptures testify about (John 5:39; Luke 24:25-27).

In this message, Adrian Rogers gives powerful and practical insight on how to boldly share your faith in Jesus Christ with others. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/135/29?v=20251111

Today's Bible Verse:: "If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." — Romans 10:9 Romans 10:9 reveals the heart of the gospel message: salvation is found through faith in Jesus Christ. Paul explains that true faith involves both an outward confession and an inward belief. It is not simply about knowing facts about Jesus, but about trusting Him with our hearts and acknowledging Him as Lord. Become a BibleStudyTools.com PLUS Member today: https://www.biblestudytools.com/subscribe/ Looking for a peaceful way to end your day? Listen to "Your Nightly Scripture" to end your day with God's word Meet Today’s Host: Reverend Jessica Van Roekel

In this message, Adrian Rogers gives powerful and practical insight on how to boldly share your faith in Jesus Christ with others. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/135/29?v=20251111

If you were given the chance to speak to someone who has never known the love of God, what would you say? In this message, Adrian Rogers gives powerful and practical insight on how to boldly share your faith in Jesus Christ with others.

Question: What is faith in Jesus Christ? Answer: Faith in Jesus Christ is a saving grace, whereby we receive and rest upon him alone for salvation, as he is offered to us in the gospel. Study Reformed theology with a free resource bundle from Ligonier Ministries: https://grow.ligonier.org/ A donor-supported outreach of Ligonier Ministries. Donate: https://gift.ligonier.org/1267/westminster If this podcast has been a blessing to you, try these other podcasts from Ligonier: Renewing Your Mind: https://renewingyourmind.org/ 5 Minutes in Church History: https://www.5minutesinchurchhistory.com/ Ask Ligonier: https://ask.ligonier.org/podcast Open Book: https://openbookpodcast.com/ Simply Put: https://simplyputpodcast.com/

Question: What doth God require of us, that we may escape his wrath and curse due to us for sin? Answer: To escape the wrath and curse of God due to us for sin, God requireth of us faith in Jesus Christ, repentance unto life, with the diligent use of all the outward means whereby Christ communicateth to us the benefits of redemption. Study Reformed theology with a free resource bundle from Ligonier Ministries: https://grow.ligonier.org/ A donor-supported outreach of Ligonier Ministries. Donate: https://gift.ligonier.org/1267/westminster If this podcast has been a blessing to you, try these other podcasts from Ligonier: Renewing Your Mind: https://renewingyourmind.org/ 5 Minutes in Church History: https://www.5minutesinchurchhistory.com/ Ask Ligonier: https://ask.ligonier.org/podcast Open Book: https://openbookpodcast.com/ Simply Put: https://simplyputpodcast.com/